


I've Promised you

by Innocentfighter



Series: Zolu Week 2k15 [3]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Canon Compliant, Cuddling & Snuggling, Introspection, M/M, Memories, Promises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-27
Updated: 2015-07-27
Packaged: 2018-04-11 15:06:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4440503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Innocentfighter/pseuds/Innocentfighter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Promises and vows were things of honor, they were not to be made lightly and should always be fulfilled at any cost, that's how Zoro was raised to think of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I've Promised you

**Author's Note:**

> Day 4: Promise
> 
> Not exactly fluff, but not exactly angst
> 
> DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN
> 
> See you at the bottom!

Promises and vows were things of honor, they were not to be made lightly and should always be fulfilled at any cost, that's how Zoro was raised to think of them. When he was younger he made a vow to himself that he wouldn't break a single promise he made, but at that time he didn't think that he would make that many. Of course, he was wrong, because he didn't expect Luffy. His captain had made him promise things from the silliest to the impossible, and he performed them all.

As he ran his fingers through the silky black hair of the aforementioned captain Zoro thought back to some of the promises he made.

The first promise was one he sort of regretted making, if only for the fact that Luffy was as serious as upholding promises as he was and he knew that if Luffy figured out Thriller Bark and what had actually happened with his two year gap, his captain would make him fulfill that promise.

He promised upon falling free from the ropes that should the kid interfere with his dream he would split open his stomach for his repentance.

What he didn't expect was in the short months that followed was how much this kid with the straw hat would change his life, and his dream.

The thought that there would be someone who understood him and would become more important to him than anything else, it never occurred to him.

He moved his hand from Luffy's head to his stomach briefly ghosting his fingertips over it, and feeling the skin prickle beneath them. At that point he had only wanted to be free from his imprisonment.

The next promise he made was never fully said. It became an unspoken agreement between them, when it happened it was when they were dealing with Buggy. Luffy had been captured and told him to leave, but in a split second instead of leaving him (he made a promise to serve in this crew and he wouldn't do it half heartedly) he turned the cannon around and towards the enemies.

What had been said was conveyed in their grins. That day Zoro had promised that he wouldn't leave his captain or crew behind if they were in danger.

Later it had unknowingly morphed into not leaving his captain behind period, and he wouldn't leave the crew behind but the captain was the priority. He was loyal to his captain and only his captain.

* * *

  
The next promise had been the most painful for him, emotionally . When he had been bleeding in the bottom of a small boat with his pride as broken as his body , he had raised his sword to the sky, for himself, a long dead girl, and a kid with a dream bigger than anyone else and promised that he would not lose again.

Everyone there, even without seeing their faces, was shocked. It was an impossible thing to promise, but he made it even more unbelievable by declaring it to the  _Pirate King._

It would never be anyone else, Luffy was born to wear that title as Zoro was made to become the world's greatest swordsman.

But his captain had accepted it and allowed the promise to be made. Zoro knew that he'd be held to it, maybe not to his face, but knowing his captain he knew that it was now a line of trust and faith between them, making the bond they shared that much stronger.

At some point it stopped being never wanting to lose again to wanting to get stronger for his captain's sake, so that he could fight harder and longer to keep the crew together and to keep himself beside his captain.

One night he had been deep in thought, it was during those long and dark hours between sun down and sun up, and he wondered if he hadn't overridden his promise with Kuina. He didn't think he had, he'd only promised her that he'd become the world's greatest and never said that he'd be stronger for her sake, but he supposed that most people could feel they were interchangeable.

They weren't the same promise, similar but not the same. Kuina and Luffy were the only people that could make him promise to better himself, but for different reasons.

He moved his hand to grip Luffy's. Gently he laced their fingers together. His captain stirred at the movement but stilled. He knew that so long as he was tethered to this person he would continue to get stronger.

* * *

  
The next big promise he had made hadn't been to Luffy at all, and he still didn't know about it. On their trip across the desert with Vivi, Ace had shown up.

Of course at the time they had barely been a crew, and their relationship hadn't reached its full potential. But that guy had seen something, or Luffy had said something, since Ace had pulled him awake at some unknown hour for a talk.

They had talked about some of their adventures and swapped tales about Luffy, but the mood had suddenly darkened and Ace had looked him dead on. His coal eyes glinted with the flame that was now part of him, and his voice had been steady.

"You were the first one to join his crew, right?"

"Yeah."

Ace had nodded. "That makes you the first mate."

"I guess it does."

"I want you to swear something to me, please. Just promise me that you'll protect him and make him happy. I can't be around all of the time I have my own life."

Zoro heard the hurt and seriousness in the tone, and knew it meant a lot to the older pirate, and he later learned that it was a lot of trust being put on him. But he didn't have to think about what that meant.

"Of course."

Ace had looked relieved, then. "I'm glad he found you."

The words were confusing, but Zoro discovered that he agreed with them completely.

* * *

  
He hadn't thought that he would've had to handle not fully living up to that promise. Ace had been Luffy's idol for the longest time and after his death and that newspaper picture Zoro had feared that he would never see Luffy smile a genuine smile again. But if there was one thing he learned Luffy was able to bounce back, it just took some time for him to do so.

But he would be there to help as best he could. He'd promised after all to protect that smile, and Luffy.

For some reason he had never told Luffy that he had spoken with Ace that night, now he knew that his captain would try to relieve him of that promise which wouldn't work. Not for as long as he lived.

Luffy was waking up, sensing his unease. It wasn't hard to figure out that's why the other was stirring. They'd always had an idea of what the other was thinking or feeling, and there were very few things that would wake the captain up when he was dozing in his first mate's lap like this.

"Zoro?" He mumbled.

"It's nothing." The swordsman answered.

Luffy settled back down, but didn't fall asleep right away. Zoro settled for using his other and to tangle through the dark hair in a soothing manner. His captain let some of his tension go but it was easy to tell he was still awake.

Now that his captain was sufficiently calmed he went back to his musing. The next promise was one of the more painful times for the Strawhats.

That night when everyone had gone to sleep, it was early for everyone, there was no reason for merrymaking when a comrade left and another one was missing (he supposed now that it was also with a comrade dying), Luffy had cuddled up to him in crow's nest.

He would admit that there was something growing between them at that time, but he hadn't had time to evaluate the feelings. But when Luffy had clung to him, the feeling of pleasant shocks was missing.

Zoro couldn't remember a time when his captain had cried like that. Hell he didn't even think that it was possible for the most confident guy he knew to have insecurities. That night he had learned so much about his captain, he'd been depended on by his captain; clung to like a lifeline.

Words had been sobbed out, and they were hard to decipher but one line had stuck out to him and he had countered it.

"Now everyone will leave me."

Zoro had already promised to never leave his captain behind, so it wasn't much further a jump even though it was something that would dictate the rest of his life.

"I won't leave."

He remembered the look that his captain had given him. It was full of surprise, sadness, and relief. Luffy had broken down again and made the wet spot on his shirt bigger. He also knew that he had made a sound of surprise when the captain had done so, fighting off the urge to coddle him like a child.

It was the captain's burden to bear, when something painful like this happens, but he sure as hell would be there to help set his captain on his feet again.

That night he made two promises, another promise of loyalty and another one of strength. Since he knew now that his captain wasn't strong enough to handle emotional things on his own. Zoro wondered if there was a person who could be strong enough to everything on their own, it'd be lonely.

He looked down and saw that Luffy was blinking his eyes open, his body tensing up due to his wakefulness now. Zoro continued tangling his fingers in the dark hair, squeezing the hand he held, gently he felt his captain squeeze back.

"Zoro?" Luffy asked again.

"Just thinking." He replied.

Luffy moved his hand, the one that wasn't being held, and flicked the swordsman on the forehead.

"Hey!"  
"Zoro thinks too much."

He frowned.

Luffy wiggled a little. "No Zoro thinks too much about the past."

Zoro arched a brow unsure of how Luffy even reached the conclusion he was thinking about the past, he shook his head it would be best to write it off as their "telepathy" (as Usopp calls it.)

Instead he just hummed in response. His train of thought drifting off with the peace of the moment. Luffy was looking at him with such content and love and slight worry he couldn't help to get lost in the moment. He leaned down, rubbing his nose against Luffy making the other laugh. When he pulled back he saw that the worry had completely vanished.

"Zoro's weird."

"You're weirder."

A childish pout rose to Luffy's. "Am not."

They lapsed into silence, just at the right distance to look into each other's eyes. It lasted for all of five minutes, before Luffy leaned up and rubbed his nose with Zoro, mimicking the swordsman's action.

His captain pulled back a small smile on his face. "We should go to bed."

"You've been asleep almost this entire time." Zoro replied, for once he wasn't feeling tired.

Luffy suddenly shot up, leaving the first mate confused. Quickly the smaller male turned around and sat back down, so that their fronts were pressed together. Zoro watch in curiosity as Luffy settled back down, using him as a full body pillow.

"When I cuddle with Zoro, I get really sleepy, so it should work the same for you."

Zoro blinked, having trouble understanding the words, they were muffled by Luffy talking into his neck. But when he did manage to decipher it he found that it partially was true. It didn't make him sleepy, though he was able to relax a lot easier with Luffy near him.

He felt Luffy shift in his lap.

"Hmm?"

"Promise me we can do this again?"

"Aye, captain."

"'cause I like doing this."

"I do too."

**Author's Note:**

> I would personally like to point out that this fic was the one that started my headcanon about the Eskimo kissing!
> 
> But otherwise! We're at the bottom! Please leave your thoughts below! Later! ~IF


End file.
